Why go now

Spring and early summer are the most beautiful times to visit the island - before the schools break up, the roads get jammed and the beaches heave. Right now it's still possible to get a table at one of the island's several gastropubs, or swim in the sea in isolation. The walking routes will be quiet again after May's Walking Festival.

Checking in

The Hambrough (01983 856333; thehambrough.com; doubles from £200 a night including breakfast) is the island's sleekest address. It's a small seven-room hotel overlooking Ventnor Bay, decked out in a cream and chocolate palette, and has a restaurant that serves up the kind of elegantly plated morselettes of food that look and taste beautiful but have you longing for the nearest chippy by bedtime. The Seaview Hotel (01983 612711; seaviewhotel.co.uk; doubles from £120 including breakfast), in the pretty village of the same name, is also coolly chic, but welcomes families. Its restaurant, which works closely with local farmers and fishermen, is one of the best on the island. If you'd rather go self-catering, Caesars Cottage in Freshwater is elegantly furnished, sleeps four and has walks from the front door. It's bookable through Rural Retreats (01386 701177; ruralretreats.co.uk; around £500 for a three-night weekend).

Coffee break

Cafe culture has arrived on the island, most noticeably on Union Street in Ryde, where Liberty's (no 12), all stripped pine floors and high-backed leather chairs, and Room 4 (no 30) are both relaxed hangouts, perfect for Saturday morning brunch with the papers. If you like a little culture with your cappuccino, head for the Quay Arts centre in Newport (quayarts.org) where the three galleries, Crafts Council-listed shop, workshops and theatre come with a particularly good cafe.

Hit the streets

Visitors to the island tend to hit the footpaths, rather than the streets: with over 500 miles of waymarked trails and walking routes, the island has become one of the UK's biggest destinations for weekend walkers. Head to the West Wight, where the dramatic seascapes from Tennyson Down and the ancient burial sites and forests inland make for interesting walking. The East Wight is perfect for shorter, pub-focused strolls; one of the best is from Ventnor, along the coastal path to Steephill Cove where the Boathouse (01983 852747) serves lip-smacking fish lunches.

Worked up an appetite?

The New Inn at Shalfleet (01983 531314; thenew-inn.co.uk) does fantastic fresh fish and local game, served at scrubbed wooden tables on flagstone floors (be sure to reserve in advance). The Red Lion (01983 754925) at Freshwater is less polished but the food is equally good. For great locations it's hard to beat the Spyglass Inn at Ventnor (01983 855338; thespyglass.com), with tables right on the beach. The food can be patchy, but the prawn and crab chowder is to die for.

Big night out

Big nights on the island tend to come by way of special weekend events: the Isle of Wight Festival is one of the biggest dates in the diary, with Kaiser Chiefs, the Sex Pistols and the Police headlining this year. The festival runs from 13-15 June and there are some tickets still available (isleofwightfestival.com). Then there is Bestival (5-7 September; bestival.net) and the White Air Extreme Sports Festival (19-21 September, whiteair.co.uk) when some of the world's best surfers, kitesurfers and white-knuckle fanatics descend on the island to compete - and party.

Retail therapy

The best souvenirs from the island are foodie ones: the Friday farmers' market in St Thomas Square in Newport offers fantastic meats, cheeses, breads, jams and pickles. Garlic lovers should head to the Garlic Farm (thegarlicfarm.co.uk) in Sandown for a bewildering array of garlic-infused products, while Farmer Jack's farm shop (farmerjacks.co.uk) in Arreton has an impressive range of seasonal produce from local farms.

Neighbourhood watch

Quirky and old-fashioned, Ventnor manages to combine the odd flash of 21st-century life with its 1950s seaside feel. The Wight Light Gallery (1a High Street; wightlightgallery.co.uk), is part gallery, part art-shop, while the Ventnor Brewery (ventnorbrewery.co.uk) has been in production since 1840 and has a well-stocked shop. Have afternoon tea on the terrace at the refurbished Royal Hotel (royalhoteliow.co.uk) before a stroll around the Botanic Gardens (botanic.co.uk) - where the tropical micro-climate enables an astonishing array of flowers and shrubs to flourish.

Getting there

Red Funnel Ferries (0844 844 9988; redfunnel.co.uk) has return fares from Southampton to East Cowes from £30 for a car and four passengers. An adult day return for a foot passenger costs £16.60 and £5.70 for a child. For more information contact Isle of Wight Tourism (01983 813813; islandbreaks.co.uk).